Class act: Paul Simon celebrates five decades as one of Charlotte’s premier menswear boutiques.
by Michelle Boudin | photographs by Richard Israel
John Barry remembers when his dad brought him to shop at Paul Simon Co., the SouthPark menswear shop, for the first time.
“My father took me in to meet (founder) Paul Simon and said they would help me understand what to wear, when to wear it and, most importantly, how to feel good about my clothing choices,” Barry recalls.
More than 30 years later, the Charlotte institution has been a part of every major milestone in his life, dressing multiple generations of his family for everything from graduations to weddings, christenings to business presentations.
Father and son store owners Paul and Jon Simon take great pride in the fact that they have four generations of customers shopping at Paul Simon, which is celebrating its 50th year in business.
The elder Simon started the brand in September 1975 with a storefront in Myers Park.
Jon Simon
“I wanted to have my own business. My father and grandfather were in the industry, but I sort of fell into it,” Paul remembers. He bought the space from a widow who’d run a men’s store there previously and quickly made it his own.
“Charlotte at that point in time was a quiet Southern town where everybody was very nice and well-mannered, and we were just here to help people feel comfortable,” says Paul. In those days, they sold a lot more tailored clothing, suits, sport coats and tuxedos. “Men were dressing then. They went to work and typically wore a suit.”
His son Jon, who officially took over running the store a decade ago, admits styles have changed dramatically over the years — and the store has, too.
“It’s much more casual than it was when we first started, and that has to do with the way men dress. I think that’s one of the reasons we’ve made it 50 years is that we’ve evolved. The way the business has changed reflects the way the city has changed, and that’s helped us to survive.”
The boutique still sells formal wear and custom suits, along with golf shirts, jeans, and casual shorts and pants from brands like Peter Millar, Eton and 34 Heritage.
The store has thrived, moving locations and expanding several times. It was in SouthPark Mall and Sharon Corners before settling into a prominent spot at The Village at SouthPark in 2008.
Paul and Jon Simon
“There used to be this patch of grass where the symphony used to be (for summer pops concerts), and I always wanted to be there,” Jon says. “Simon [Property Group] told us what they were planning, and we were the first tenant here. They hadn’t even finished building the shopping center when we moved in.”
They added a women’s boutique, Paul Simon Women, in 1996. Despite enjoying success through the years, Jon decided this summer to close the women’s shop and replace it with a standalone Johnnie O store, which opened last month. The preppy menswear brand is a bestseller at Paul Simon.
“I’ve never been in the doghouse with so many women,” Jon says. We have a lot of upset customers, but this is a great opportunity for us to run Johnnie O’s first store in the area. It’s an opportunity I didn’t want to miss out on.”
Paul still comes into the store every day to engage with the staff and customers. In addition to the rebrand, the father-son duo is also plotting a major refresh for the main store that will happen in phases over the next few months.
“We’re reinvesting because we’re bullish about SouthPark and bullish about Charlotte and the region,” says Jon. “We’re excited about what’s to come.” SP
